


Rumor Has It

by justbygrace



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-22 01:18:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9575447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justbygrace/pseuds/justbygrace
Summary: They had wanted an AU of the Doctor and Rose meeting multiple times before they admitted their love. This was my response.





	

Everyone says they'd make the perfect couple and everyone's been saying it for a very, very long time. Frankly, it's starting to get annoying. 

They first met on the playground. It was Rose's first day of school and by recess she decided she didn't like it very much. She was standing under the slide pretending she was invisible when he appeared — he was already tall for a six year old, with crazy brown hair — offering his hand and a cookie and the use of his fort in the corner of the schoolyard. They were best friends after that, frequently being separated by teachers for talking or laughing too much, sharing books, lunches, and detention. She was the first one who called him Doctor, declaring that he had made her better and his given name was super weird anyway, and the nickname stuck. When the Doctor's family moved to Europe two years later the two children were heartbroken.

The next time they met was at summer camp. Rose was sixteen and a junior counselor and not at all sure that she wanted to work with snotty-nosed little brats, but her mum had been adamant that some time in the country would do her good. Time had not been kind to the Tyler's, but Jackie was determined that her daughter have every possible opportunity. On the first day of staff training, Rose was standing alone, looking around disconsolately and wondering how she was ever going to fit in, when she heard her name being called loudly and enthusiastically. She spun around to see the Doctor loping towards her, all gangly limbs and really fantastic hair. The two teens were delighted to see each other and they settled back into their friendship easily. They spent the summer sneaking off to hang out whenever they could, going stargazing and swimming and pranking. The other counselors placed bets on whether or not their late night jaunts were to shag, but Rose and the Doctor "weren't like that!" The end of the summer was bittersweet as the Doctor was returning to his family's villa in France and Rose back to the heart of London. They promised to stay in touch.

The third time they met was when Rose was in Paris on a trip with her university. She and the Doctor had not stayed in touch that well, their differing lives and obligations making that sort of thing nigh on impossible. Rose had been determined not to get her hopes up about seeing him — France was a large country after all — but the first night out at a club when she felt a hand grasp her elbow, she was not all that surprised to turn to see his familiar face beaming at her. He had grown into his body — all fit, lean, devastatingly gorgeous, and dating someone. She bit down on her lip, she was not disappointed, they still weren't “like that” after all, and she was incredible cordial to his girlfriend — an impeccably dressed socialite with an annoying habit of saying trite things very profoundly. Throughout the two week trip, the Doctor found excuses to show up at every museum, art gallery, and historical landmark that was on Rose's itinerary and it didn't take long before her classmates were completely convinced that they were definitely a couple. The Doctor and Rose hotly denied it. He was dating (though his girlfriend was conspicuously absent from his excursions); she was kind of in a relationship with a very nice bloke back home (“kind of” meaning he was the safe sort that she was desperately bored with). The two weeks flew by with the Doctor showing up and offering his wisdom on things as well as convincing her to sneak out and really experience Paris' nightlife. When she flew back to London, he kissed her goodbye "as friends" and promised to keep in better touch. She cried most of the flight home.

The fourth time they met was at the wedding reception for Jack Harkness and Ianto Jones. Jack was an old friend from summer camp who had kept in touch with both of them over the years. Rose was feeling very lost among the rich and famous that Jack apparently rubbed shoulders with. She was standing next to the drinks table, pretending she didn't look as lost as she felt, when the Doctor appeared in front of her with a wide grin and a hug and a glass of whiskey. There was dancing going on and it wasn't long before Rose had convinced him to join her on the dance floor. They had a fantastic time, the music was fast and the dances energetic. As the night wore on, the songs gradually slowed down, growing steadily more and more romantic. The Doctor kept expecting Rose to complain of being tired and Rose kept expecting the Doctor to declare there were other things he had to be doing, but neither of them did and so they continued, their touches growing more intimate, their hands more lingering. When she kissed him, she thought he was both shocked and expecting it, judging by the way he took a couple of seconds to respond and then did so enthusiastically. When they broke apart, he asked if they were okay and she agreed that, of course they were, they were best friends, right? If there seemed to be the slightest bit of disappointment in his eyes, it was a trick of the moonlight, and if she concealed a sigh when he said he had to go, well, it was late.

The fifth time they met was the next morning. He showed up to her flat at eight am and she blamed Jack for giving him her address, but the Doctor had coffee and muffins and she forgave him, inviting him inside blearily. They curled up on the sofa and ate and made small talk, but there was an undercurrent of something that hid in the syllables of their words and the edges of their movements and neither of them seemed to know how to break it. Eventually he suggested a walk and she agreed. They ended up at their old school. The lock to the playground was broken and they went in, absently swaying on the swings between the extended silences. When they did talk it was simultaneously and they stopped, embarrassed. Rose gestured for him to speak, she wasn't going to say anything terribly articulate anyway, and he tugged on his ear and looked away and finally asked if she meant it. She didn't bother to ask what he was referring to, The Kiss sat between them like a separate entity, and she blushed and said that yes, she meant it, and was that okay? He beamed, fairly beamed like the excited schoolboy she remembered from all those years ago, and asked if, maybe, if she wanted, they could try it again? They do. Frequently. 

Everyone says they're the perfect couple and everyone's been saying it for a very, very long time. Frankly, they rather agree.


End file.
